milliken



{Nu Modelij 2 Sheen -Sheet l.

P. M'ILLIKEN 13m: ALARM -TBLBGRAPH.- No. 453,982. PatentedJune 9,1891.

Witnesses; V f v fl 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model) I v G'. F. -MILLIKEN.

FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH.-

o; 453,982. Patented June 9', 1 9-1..

' tin ally released to produce an alarm at the-said v whereby their circuit releasing" and operat motion to givean alarin at .the mainotfice;

signal-boX-wheel train from being released or am aware, thereleasing device isoperated'by NITED STATES? GEORGE MILLIKEN, or nos'ron, .MASSACI-IiTSElClS, Ass GNon 'ro *rnEe'A n- ELL 'AUXlLlARY FIRE ALARM COMPANY; or SAME "PLA'oELJ franc-ALARM[TELE'GRAPH.

srnorrrcnrrox foriningpart oij Letters Applicationfiled ram 24, 1591.

To aZZ' whom it may concern:

Be it known than I, GnoR F. MILLrKnN, residing at Boston in. the; county of Suffolk .andState of- Massachusetts, have-invented certain Improvements i n Fire-Alarm Telegraph s, of which the following i's'a specification This invention relates to fire alarm systems,- and especially. to those which combine, first,

street-boxes in a circuit or loop located'at'va: riou's points in a '-district-.-and are connected with a central or. m'ainofifilce, each box inclosing circuit-operating mechanism to be manemain office, with, second, auxiliarymeans 10" catedin private dwellings,business-otfioes,fac

connected. to one or moreof-ithe -said boxes,

ing mechanism can befautomatically set in My invention relates to amethod of releasing from an auxiliary station. the train'of Wheels in a fire-alarm or other signal transmitting box which has beenprevionsly woiind hy'means of'an independentelectr c-mechanicaltrip. ",fi It also comprises, a method of -,visuallyindicating at the -signal-se'nding street-box the exact 'iocation or station from which the releasing-magnet in saidbox is operated.

It also comprises means forlpreventing the operated by an accidental closers of'the cir-" cnit through the h-elices. of .thereleasing magnet.

I donot herein claim the releasing of a sig-' nal-transmitting train of wheels 'by'mean's of vices are well known to meyhut in all such devices heretoforensed or known,so far as I a motor which isof snfiicient power to release and reset the device a number of times before it has to be renewed or restored, necessitating a complexity of parts, while inmy in: vention the power of the motor is spent in ,the operation of once releasing the train'which operates the break-wheel, and is automatic'ally'restored by the -motor which. operates the break-wheel and during the time the sigtime No. ceases, dated June 9, 1ee1. shimm r. (Ho model.) I

nal is being transmitted to the central station vand simultaneously with the resettin of th'break-wheel detent or toggle; By this arrangement I am enabled in such a signal- 5 5. transniitting. box as is herein shown -to remove and hold that part ofthe electromechanical't'ri p which is under the strain of the spring or weight, and which, as employed by me; if not so removed and held,.would ,pre- .60 I

rent the [trainfrom being stopped at the proper time'after' the transmission of a pre determined 'nnmber of signalsor until-the teree e-themain-spring hadb'ee'n spent; As I this featnre of thefire-alai-In' signal-honis no part of my invention, I do not consider it necessaryto describe its operation. tories, &c., at-a' distance from -.and=which are Y A system .in 'which two boxes v a a are'c'onnectedin"a closed circuit with the main office-C 0, 7o"

'In'the drawings, Figure 1 shows a fire-alarm a relay being shown as the signal-receiving instrument. Auxiliary circuitsABa're shown connectingone with each box, the former circnit'A representingfive 'auiziliary stations, each in a separate building,v and the latter B representing five such stations in onejbuild ing, each in a separate apartment. In star tions' -A comnion' strap-keys are shown as circuit-closers. or signal-transmitters, while at the stations B are shown district box -trans-, 8c initters thef circuits in both series A and B being represented as normally open and. me-- itallic,"batteri es being located at o e stationin each series cominonto all of the signal-- transmitting devices- Fig. 2 shows such por- 8'5 tions of a fire-alarm-loox apparatus in face view as are necessary to illustrate my invention,vvhich is shown inoonnection'therewith.

' Fig. 3 is a top side view of a portion of Fig. 2. 4 Fig; 4 is a side View of the auxiliary electro- 0 mechanical tripping and resetting device shownein Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is a detached "portion of the releasing'a'nd settingappan ratus. Fig. 6 is 'a'view of a partof Fig. '2, showingthe tripping device released. Fig. 7 5 isaview of the front of a fire-alarm box to show the indicating signal-sending station device, and'Fig. 8 is a face view of the indilcating disk. Fig. 9 shows a modification of 1 the mechanicallaneans for automatically resetting the trip".

IOO

. As shown in Fig. 1, wires 3 4 extend frorn the auxiliary stations to the electro-magnet I), located in the fire-alarm boxes a a, the signal-sending devices at the stations being connected in normally-discontinuous multiple arcs with the wires. The battery is connected in at the station nearest the street-box, and when the signal-sending devices at the auxiliary stations are properly manipulated the releasing apparatus in the box is disengaged and an alarm sounded at the central oifice, asthe circuit through the wires 1 2 is opened and closed by the break-wheel e, operated by the wound clock-train.

At stations in. series B, I have shown for signal-sending mechanism break-wheels as commonly used in district boxes, the wheel No. 1 having three teeth, wheel No. 2 four teeth, 850., each wheel having two more teeth than its station designating number. The electromechanical trip in the street-box a will not be started until thestation break-wheels have made three successive closures'of the circuit, so that one or two accidental movements of the electromechanical escapement will not efiect anymovement whatever of the street-box break-wheel. or' of its wheel-train; but when the district-wheel at any of the stations makes three successive closnresof the cir- Quit the street-box movement is instantly released. The extra teeth on the station-wheels are for the purpose of bringing the'indicatingdisk around step by step to show through the orifice 11 of the box-door the individual number of the station sending the alarm. The same results as described of the district-wheels can be obtained by the use of the keys shown at stations inseries A, connected with the street-box a ,.itbeing necessary for station 1 to make three closures of the key before the starting mechanism at the street-box is at all aifeoted.

Referring now to the apparatus inclosed in the street-box, wires 3 L from the auxiliary stations enter the street-box a and connect with the electro-Inagnet Z). Its armature 6 is pivoted at 5 and has an escapement-arin 7 extending upwardly. 13, Fig. 3, is a spindle fixed in abase 17, which is secured to thebox a. Upon the outer end of the spindle is a sleeve 8, bearing on each end a disk 9 and 12. The sleeve and disks are secured to the spin dle by the screw 30 and rotate upon the body of the same. The outer disk 9 serves as an indicatoigand has upon its face characters to designate theanxiliary stations connected to the box, which appear to view through a hole 11 in the cover of the box and indicate the'eondition of the circuit. The inner or escapement disk 12 has inserted upon its face two concentric rows of pins-eight in each row. All of the pins project evenly from the outer face of the disk, and but one 2 projects through fromfthe inner face. A spiral spring 14 encircles the spindle 13, one end of which is secured to the base 17 and the other end to pin '15 on the inner face of the disk 1. When the spring 14 is wound up (which is accomplished by turning the disk 12 around manually) the lever in its normal position rests under pin 8' and prevents the spring from unwinding. In this position the indicating-disk 9 will show zero (0) through the door-orifice 11 and indicate that the auxiliary=station signal-sending wheels are in an undisturbed position, as shown in series B, Fig. 1. l A

18 and 19 are standards supported by the base 17.

20 is a sliding bolt passing through the ends of the standards 18 and 19.

21 is a spiral spring around the bolt botween the standards pressing against the lower side of'the standard 18 and upon in P3 in the bolt.

1) is a tripping-lever pivoted at its lower end to the standard 19 by the screw 2i, having a hooked lower end 23, upon which rests the lower end of the bolt 20, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. The upper end of the lever l.) rests against the stop-pin 27. I

Midway of the lever Dis a toggle-piece 2s, pivot-ed thereto by the screw 26, its free end coming to a point, being beveled on both sides. When the indicating-disk and. the escapement-disk are being turned to their normal position to indicate 0, to reset the same the spring 14 is wound, and the pin 2 strikes the under side of this toggle 25, raising it up, (see dotted lines in Fig. 5,) and passes along. Stoppins 31 and 32 limit the motion of the toggle, its position in Figs. 2 and 5 being normal. A spring 33, secured by one end to the lever l') and pressing upon the box-partition .2, keeps the lever firmly in place.

G- refers generally to the mechanism of the street-box, a few parts only of which are shown.

ris the main wheel of the clock-trai n, moved by a spring-motor. (Not shown.) Through intermediate gearing-the break-wheel e and its immediately-connected wheel t' are operated.

j is a looking or controlling lever pivoted at 70, one end of which extends over the wheel 1' and is provided with a locking-toggle I, which enters a slot 35 in the rim 30 of the wheel 1'. The lever j has a spring 1), which keeps it down to its work, and a pin 37 to enter slots 38 and 39, all of which is well understood.

Projecting from the lever j is an. arm j, reaching through the partition to the bull 20, its upper side nearly touching the pin :5 in the bolt.

w is a lever pivoted at m. One of its arms extends across the face of wheel r and has the outer length thereof beveled, as r. The other arm :1: extends through the partition and terminates under the bolt '20.

Pins u and tproject from the face of the wheel 0*.

The'operation of the street-box apparatus is in no wise disturbed by the application thereto of my invention It cangbonnannally operated the samein all respects, for when the controlling-leverj is elevated by pull in g dowrthe hook, as is usual, the arm 3'" thereof/moves I downward away from the pin 25 in the directionot' the arrow, and when the leverj is returned to its locking position the arm 3" returns, the box mechanism operating independently.

When the controlling-lever j is to be releasedand an alarm sent into the central ofiice from any auxiliary station, the operation is as follows: Say that station N o. 1 in series B sendsan alarm by turning the handleof its wheehcausing three makes and breaks of the circuit-wires 3 4. By means of the battery the electro-magnet b is magnetized and demagnetized three times. Upon the first closure of the circuit the armature 6 is drawndown. The escapement-lever 7 is brought forward into the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, away from the pin 8.

The spring 14 turns the disk 12 in the direction of v the arrow and brings the pin 9 onto the end of the lever 7, stopping the rotation of'the disk. \Vhen the circuit 3 t is opened,

the spring S pulls the armature-6 and lever 7 back into position (shown in full lines) away from the pin 9. The spring 14 then operates to rotate the disk 12 and brings the pin 1' onto the end of the lever 7. These movements are repeated until the pin 2 rotates over onto the end of the lever 7, and is tripped and forces itself against the bevel of the toggle 25, (see Fig. 5,) which is held from moving downward by the pin 31, and it, with the lever D, is forced by the pin 2 backward into the position shown in Fig. 6, the disk 12 continuing to rotate until stopped by the inner pin 11 striking the end of the lever 7, and finally when the electro-magnet b is demagnetized it is stopped with the pin 3 resting on the end of the lever 7. As the lever D is forced over, its hooked arm 23 isdrawn from under the bolt 20. This releases the bolt, and its spring 21 forces it downward, carrying with it, by"

' means of the pin'25, the leverj'. in the direc tion of the arrow. As this goes down it raises its other arm j, pulling the toggle Z from the rim 36, and starting the clock-train of the street-box, and the break-wheel e, rotating under the springs 6, opens and closes the central-oflice circuit and sounds the box number. When the disk 12 is in the position last described, the pin 3 resting on'the lever 7, the indicatingdisk 9 (which rotates with the disk 12-) shows the number 1 through the hole 11 in the box-cover, and a fireman arriving at the box sees that auxiliary station No. 1 rung in the alarm. hen thetripping apparatus is in its normal position, 0 shows through the box-hole 11. All the other stations, Nos. 2, 3,

a, and 5, are operated as described of No. 1.

show through the orifice 11 the'number of theauxiliary station which originated the alarm.-

The electromechanical releasing and tripping device is divisible into two co-operating portions; first, the electro magnet and its armature,which sets in motion the second or mechanical'motor by which the break-wheel e is released. The force of the mechanical m0- tor is wholly spent by'its operation and is restored automatically as follows: .In the streetbox mechanism shown the break-wheel e repeats the box number, say, four times while the main wheel 0' rotates one half of a revolution. I therefore provide the pins 25 and u to operate for each complete alarm sent by the breakwheel to the central oflice. As soon as the box mechanism is released the main; wheel 0* commences to rotate and brings the pin 25 against the beveled lever w, gradually depressing the same and elevating the the lever D 'back against the pin 27, at the same time bringing the hooked end 23 under the end of, the bolt. By this time the pin 25 has passed the lever to, and the wheel 0' con-' tinues to rotate untilthe pin 38 drops into the slot 39, the toggle lat the same time dropping into the slot '35 and stopping the train.

In Fig. 9-1 have shown a modification of "the resetting device. Instead of one pin t I show two pins i and 25, set so as to divide the work of depressing the lever 10, taking more time in the operation. I

It will be observed that the auxiliary releasing mechanism is entirely separate from that of the street-box in so far that it does not interfere with the separate operation of the latter, and that the former is entirely reset before the complete alarm is ,made, so that bolt 20 is away from any contact with the arm j in case the box mechanism should be released. The indicating-disk is always turned back to zero by an inspector if it has been accidentally tripped around one or two teeth, or by a fireman if an alarm has been struck.

I do not confine myself to the precise mechanism shown for electro-mochanically releasing the street-box apparatus and resetting the said mechanism, as I may employother forms without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim 1.. In a fire-alarm system, the combination, with a circuit including street-boxes having manually-operated si gnal-s'endin g m echan'ism and signatreceiving mechanism at a main or central oflice, of an auxiliary circuit orcircuits connecting the said street-boxes withone ormore stations, including in the said box or boxes an independent electromechanical trip or releasing device, and means for automaticallyrestoring the same after each releasement operated by the motor of the street-box, with signal-sending apparatus at the said station or stations.

2. In a fire-alarm system, the combination,

with a closed circuit including one or more street-boxes having manually-operated signal-sending mechanism and signal-receiving mechanism located at a central or main officc, of an auxiliary circuit or circuits connecting the said street-boxes with one or more stations at a distance therefrom, including in the said box or boxes an independent electromechanical trip or releasing device, and means for automatically restoring the same after eachreleasement, operated by the motor of the street-box, yvit-h signal-sending apparatus at the said station or stations.

.3, In a fire-alarm system, the combination, with a circuit including street-boxes having manually-operatedsignal-sendingmechanism and signal-receiving mechanism at a main or central office, of auxiliary circuits connecting the said street-boxes with one or more stations, including in the said boxor .boxes an independent electro-mechanical trip or releasing device, with means for automatically restoring the same after each release'ment, operated by the motor of e the streetbox,

means for indicating the station sending a- "signal, and signal-sending apparatus at the said station or stations, consisting, essentially, of a break-wheel with one or more teeth than sufficient to indicate the number of the statiori.

4. In a fire-alarm system, the combination,

with a circuit including street-boxes having manually-operated signal-sendin g ni ech-anism and signal-receiving mechanism at a main, or central oiiice, of auxiliary circuits connecting the said street-boxes with one or more stasaid station or stations, i'ncludingin the said box or boxes an independent electromechanical trip or releasing device provided with means for automatically restoring the same after each releasement, operated by the motor of the street-box, and means for preventing an accidental release of the street-box mechanism, consisting, essentially, of a brealb wheel with one or more teeth than sufiicient to indicate the number of the box.- T

5. In an auxiliary fire-alarm circuit, one or more individual signal-sending. station apparatus, and an 'electro-mechanical trip or releasing device in a street-box,'operated by an independent motor, and means for automatically restoring the same when spent, operated by the motor of the street-box.

6. An auxiliary fire-alarm circuit including two or more stations, each having signalsending apparatus consisting, essentially, of

a break-wheel with one or more teeth than sufficient to indicate the number of the station, and an'electro-mechanical trip and indicating device; and means for automatically restoring the former after each releasement, operated by the motor of the street-box.

7. In a combined fire-alarm and auxiliary system, a street-box having a wound signaling-train and a releasing detent or toggle adapted to be released by an independent motor controlled by an electro-magnet, and means for simultaneously resetting the said detent and for restoring the said independent motor 'when spent, operated bythe motor of the streetbox. y

8. An auxiliary fire-alarm circuit including twoor more stations, each having signal-sending apparatus consisting, essentially, of a break-wheel with one or more teeth than sufiicient to indicate the number of the station,

and an electromechanical trip or releasing device and means for automatically restoring the same when spent, operated by the motor of the s gnaling-train, with means for indicating the station sending a signal in a street-box.

9. An auxiliary fire-alarm circuit including several stations, each having signal-sending mechanism consisting, essentially, of a breakwheel with teeth diifering in number to indicate the number of the station and with one or more extra teeth, for the purpose described,

and an electromechanical trip or releasing device, and means for automatically. restoringthe same when spent, operated by the motor of the'signaling-train in the street-box.

10. An auxiliary fire-alarm circuit including'two or more stations, each having signalsending apparatus consisting, essentially, of a break-wheel ha'ving'one or more teeth than sufficient to indicate the number of the station, and an independent electromechanical esca'pement, and means for automatically restoring the same when spent, operated by the motor of, the signaling-train, and means for indicating the station sending a signal located. in the street-box.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 18th day of February, 1891. 

